The Importance of Nighttime Nutrition

Speaker 1 0:00

Hello and welcome back to another episode of A Healthy Shift the podcast . At this point in time , the science around shift work is in a very , very exciting stage . I just want you , as shift workers , to know and understand that there are numerous scientists and researchers out there that are researching all kinds of topics to make it our shift working world much easier for us , because I , as you know , are a firm believer that we can actually thrive , and not just survive , in our shift working world . In today's episode , I want to talk about why what we eat and when really does matter . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified nutritionist , veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigours of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . So they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and thank you for listening .

Speaker 1 1:33

In this podcast , we dive deep into the evidence-based strategies for thriving in your shift work environment . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today I would just like to talk about why what we eat and when we eat and it really does matter . Now . We all know the struggle , the hunger pangs that hit us during our shift and , my God , that vending machine . It starts looking so tempting , doesn't it ? And we start to look at it with ogling eyes and , before we realize it , we're standing in front of it , we're pushing the buttons and out comes the packet of chips or the packet of lollies . But what if I told you that those late night snacks and meals might not be doing your body any favors at all ? So what I want to do is I just want to go through a few discussion points here today , and I want to be able to help you to understand why it is that we shouldn't be eating overnight . I know the temptation is strong , but if we arm you with the knowledge as to why it's no good , then what will happen is you can then make an informed decision that when you do go to eat , you know the impact of what's actually happening .

Speaker 1 2:48

So let's just start off with our circadian rhythm . First of all . This is the basics . Now our body has its own natural internal clock , which is called the circadian rhythm . Now this is located in our brain , between our eyes or just behind our eyes , and in that location of the frontal cortex of the brain . Now we have to be mindful that this circadian rhythm runs regardless of whether it's daytime or nighttime , that 24-hour clock is still running or nighttime , that 24-hour clock is still running . So the fact that we are up and about at night doesn't mean that our circadian rhythm is in daytime mode while we're awake at night . So this 24-hour cycle is regulating everything . It regulates from sleep all the way through to hormonal releases and digestion . And when you work your nights , you literally disrupt this rhythm , which will wreak havoc on your actual health . So what it actually does is our circadian rhythm is running through a normal cycle every single 24 hours , through a normal cycle every single 24 hours . Now that cycle is going to be running and it's going to be activating certain hormones , turning things on and turning things off , regardless of whether we are awake or whether we are actually asleep . And that is just the circadian rhythm in a nutshell , so that you understand that .

Speaker 1 4:33

Now what we need to understand is our digestive downturn , because at night our digestive tract system naturally slows right down . It's actually preparing for rest , it's not preparing for a heavy meal to be going in . Now I've been guilty myself of actually doing night shift prior to understanding nutrition and what I've now learned about chrononutrition and chronobiology . What I have learned is we do not flip our meals from the day shift into the night shift . We do not flip our meals from the day shift into the night shift . We don't sit there at 3 am in the morning eating a great big bowl of pasta or a big meal at that time , because our circadian rhythm has our digestive tract completely shut down or really really turned right down down . Or really really turned right down . It's preparing for that rest . It is in literally rest and digest mode and this is not really a great idea for us to be eating , because eating a main meal overnight will actually lead to heartburn , it can lead to indigestion and it will just give us overall discomfort because our body literally is not digesting and processing those nutrients that we've had Now . This is not exactly ideal for us . Staying alert on our job , all right , really important for us to note .

Speaker 1 5:58

Now the other thing you ladies , I've spoken about this a number of times , but I want to emphasize this point again for you Now . Hormonally , it's a battle anyway , isn't it ? If you are in your luteal phase of your menstrual cycle , you are already up against it with fluctuating hormones that can lead to all sorts of issues in your sex organs , and we need to be making sure that we are accommodating that as much as we can possibly make it as easy as we possibly can for it . So what we need to do to help with this is we need to understand that you've actually got a compromised digestive tract to go with that . You poor ladies , you absolutely cop it in every single way possible , but those hormonal fluctuations , coupled with this compromised digestive tract as well , can really cause all sorts of problems .

Speaker 1 6:58

What is the compromised digestive tract ? Well , women are not small men to start off with . They have a very different digestive tract . Food takes a minimum of sorry , not a minimum on average 14 hours longer to actually pass through the digestive tract of a female than it does with a male . This can explain one of the main reasons why females end up with gas and bloating because of the slower transition of . Females end up with gas and bloating because of the slower transition of those nutrients through the system . A female also has a less acidic stomach . The stomach empties slower . They have a longer colon and the colon also empties slower . And if you think about it , where are those sex organs located in a female ? They are all internal , and what else is internal Is that colon and also that digestive tract all occupying the same space .

Speaker 1 7:55

Now , if you're in a luteal phase of your menstrual cycle , which is the two weeks prior to the bleed and , ladies , you all know that that is the most difficult time If you're on a night shift and you're actually eating highly palatable carbohydrates and fats which are passing through your system and fermenting in your gut at that time , then what they're doing is they're actually occupying the same space as a highly agitated uterus or ovaries , or let's just call it a reproductive system , at that time as well . So we need to make sure that we try and fast over that period of night so that we flush that system out and we create as minimal disruption as we possibly can . Now let's have a look at the metabolic mayhem that's actually created . Now studies are suggesting that eating at night may mess with how our body literally processes sugar , and this potentially increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease . Now what this actually means in layman's terms is our insulin , which is secreted by our pancreas , is . Our insulin which is secreted by our pancreas is reduced significantly at night . So when we eat carbohydrates which are literally sugar , that's what they are . They are sugar . All carbohydrates are just broken down into glucose . It's running through our bloodstream . It has nowhere to go . We are not burning it because our system is shut down and so , therefore , it ends up getting parked as body fat .

Speaker 1 9:29

Now what we've also learned is that during the time that melatonin is actually elevated now , melatonin is our sleep hormone , or our sleep precursor hormone , and what happens is melatonin elevates in our bodies from about 8.30 to 9 o'clock at night , right the way through until 6 am in the morning , and if you look at that , that's the normal time that people are actually asleep 9 pm to 6 am in the morning , and if you look at that , that's the normal time that people are actually asleep 9 pm to 6 am . So what we want to do is we now know through research that during a period that melatonin is elevated , that our body actually processes and stores nutrients very differently during the time that melatonin is elevated . And this is what is causing that fat gain for our night shift workers and why , as a shift worker , and eating overnight or eating at night is causing us all sorts of problems , not only biologically , but it's actually causing us to gain body fat as well . Now I'll leave that one there because I just want to summarize it . But let's look at sleepless in Seattle or wherever you're sleepless Nighttime eating will disrupt your sleep quality Fact we are looking for .

Healthy Eating Tips for Night Shift

Speaker 1 10:53

Not only on night shift are we consuming copious amounts of caffeine , but we are also eating highly palatable carbohydrates and fats . Those highly palatable carbohydrates are turning to glucose sugar in our bloodstream , and what that does is those highly palatable carbs and fats . Or let's just say , you grab those Uber Eats and have that big burger overnight or that donut . It might give you a temporary energy boost , which it will , because of the glucose running through your system , but what it will do also is that it's going to make it harder for you to fall asleep . And not only will it make it harder to fall asleep . If you are one of those people that's exhausted , it's going to make it more difficult for you to stay asleep as well because of the amount of sugar that you've got running through your system . All right , now that's the reasons why we don't . So let's just summarize that .

Speaker 1 11:46

The reasons why we don't eat overnight is pure and simple because our circadian rhythm is dictating that in that nighttime our body literally goes into rest and digest mode . It's preparing for sleep , it wants to sleep , melatonin is elevated , and when melatonin is actually elevated , our body completely processes all of our nutrients and stores them completely differently to what it normally does during the day . So keep that in mind . Now , that's enough of the scary stuff . So when eating at night is a no-go for us , but what is there that we can actually do which is going to help us ? So what we want to do is we want to try and shift our schedule of eating . If possible , we need to try to stick to a daytime eating schedule , even on your days off . This helps your circadian rhythm to stay in sync .

Speaker 1 12:43

Now , if you've followed me for some time or you've listened to me for some time , you understand and know that there are three key Zitgebers that keep our circadian rhythm in sync . The main one is light , the other one is movement , but nutrient timing is imperative for us when it comes to keeping our circadian rhythm in sync . Our body is literally counting on it . It is counting on us and it prepares us to be ready for food at the normal breakfast , normal lunch and normal dinner time . And that is why we get hungry around those times . It is those hormonal secretions getting us ready for digestion that creates that hunger feeling . So , therefore , what we do is we eat at those times and , even as a night shift worker , give your digestive tract a break overnight and just try and eat and keep majority of your nutrients going in during the time that melatonin is absent , which is between that 6am and that 9pm at night . But more so , we want to be trying to get majority of our calories in during those daylight hours . Now we are learning also that , eating majority of your calories prior to 3 pm , our body manages the sugar in our bloodstream more efficiently than at any other time during the day .

Speaker 1 14:15

Now , if you think about people who do time-restricted feeding or , as you would probably know it , intermittent fasting , and they fast from 8 pm at night , after dinner , until midday the next day , they're actually doing it the wrong way around for what our body wants . What our body wants is it wants to be fed upon waking and then it wants to fast from 3 pm right the way through until 7 am the next day . And this is where majority of people get the intermittent fasting or the time-restricted feeding wrong . If you were to eat from 7 o'clock in the morning and finish eating at 3 pm in the afternoon , the biological impacts are actually enormous because you find that you will process your glucose a lot better . Your satiety levels are increased . You might think , oh no , there's no way could I fast from three o'clock until I go to bed . But if you were conditioning yourself to do that , you can actually do it and do it really well , and the biological benefit on your cardiovascular system is enormous . That you will reduce things like atherosclerosis . You'll reduce cardiovascular disease , the risk of stroke and heart attack , and your body is processing the glucose and because it's processing it at that time , it means it doesn't end up getting parked as body fat .

Speaker 1 15:42

So we can really do the restricted part from three o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the morning , and that's something that is a really interesting emerging way for us to go about doing what you would know as intermittent fasting , but it's actually what they call early time restricted feeding . So keep that in mind , by eating from seven o'clock in the morning through to three o'clock in the afternoon and then fasting from there on , has enormous benefits . And because of the satiety and how satiated you feel , which is your feelings of fullness , the research showed that people just did not feel hungry in that 3 pm to going to bed at nighttime they weren't feeling hungry . And what does that mean ? It means less calories in at that time . And what does that mean ? We are reducing our calories , which means we're getting a calorie deficit , which means we lose weight , body fat , and that's the bonus of doing that .

Speaker 1 16:41

Now we want small and smart snacking . Now we need to pack healthy food . What we want to do is we want to take in super easy to digest snacks for your night shift . I want you to think fruits , vegetables , nuts , yogurt , combination of all . You can do this . You can actually get some like hummus and some veggie sticks to have and try and fast as long as you can , but give yourself something to look forward to at three or four o'clock in the morning that is super easy to digest . Something like a Yopro yogurt with a handful of berries can be ideal , because the berries will slow down the carbohydrate , will slow down the oxidization of the protein in the yogurt , but they will also slip through . The protein will keep you feeling a bit fuller and the fiber from the fruits will also keep you feeling a bit fuller , and you're getting a sweet treat from the fruits that are going in with the yogurt as well . It's a win-win all round . It gives you something to look forward to , but it's something that's super easy to digest and that will get you home until you need to have that carbohydrate and protein meal before you go to bed .

Speaker 1 17:54

Now the next thing is hydration . Hydration can actually be your hero overnight . It can be really , really important . A lot of people don't understand that our dehydration , or our sense of dehydration , actually comes from the same portion of the brain as our hunger does . If you are feeling hungry or snacky , having yourself a big drink of water or something along those lines can literally get rid of the hunger pains and you'll realize that you are not actually hungry , that you were thirsty . So one of the first ports of call , and one of the best ports of call , would be to have yourself a big drink of water first and then sit in it and wait and see if that makes a big difference , because dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger . So keep your water bottle in front of you during your shift and drink as much water as you can . And drink as much water as you can , particularly you , ladies . Let's get that water flushing through your system so that you are actually moving that food through your system a lot quicker than what you normally would .

Speaker 1 19:02

Now the other thing power up before your shift . What we want to do is we want to have a substantial , balanced meal before we go into work so that we're not eating overnight Now . This will provide sustained energy for our night ahead . Now , if you think about it , proteins , carbohydrates and fats right , fats are energy dense . They provide a lot of energy . Protein will keep us satiated , and whatever we eat eat in protein . We pretty much burn a third of it just processing it and digesting it . And the carbohydrates provide the fiber which is actually going to not only feed our good gut bacteria , but it's going to keep us feeling full as well . So have yourself a substantial carbohydrate , protein and fat meal before you go into work and just leave your digestive track to work on that quietly overnight or earlier on in the evening before you actually get to work .

Speaker 1 20:01

Now , that's it all right ? That's pretty much the end of this episode . So I want you to remember that a healthy night shift worker is a happy night shift worker . Even better , it will give you a super happy gut if you stop and you think and you really analyze . Think of how often you actually have digestive issues on night shift . It is very common , and the reason why it's common is because of your desynchronized circadian rhythm and you're forcing it to eat those snacks of highly palatable carbohydrates and fats overnight when your body is least able to actually process them . All right .

Speaker 1 20:41

So if you've got any questions or any tips about any healthy night shift eating , feel free to actually message me , because I'm more than happy to answer any questions . You can find me at ahealthyshiftcom or on social media on Instagram at a underscore healthy , underscore shift , or on Facebook at a healthy shift , and don't forget to hit that follow for more tips on thriving during unconventional hours . And that's it . Thanks for tuning in and I will most certainly catch you on the next one . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .